SOLUTION: The top of a 15 foot ladder is 3 feet farther up a wall than the foot ladder id from the bottom of the wall. How far is the foot ladder from the bottom wall? PLEASE HELP I DO

Question 197243: The top of a 15 foot ladder is 3 feet farther up a wall than the foot ladder id from the bottom of the wall. How far is the foot ladder from the bottom wall?

PLEASE HELP I DONT UNDERSTAND THIS AT ALL!!!!
Answer by checkley77(12844) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
This is a right triangle with a hypotenuse=15, the base=x & the other side=x+3.
x^2+(x+3)^2=15^2
x^2+x^2+6x+9=225
2x^2+6x+9-225=0
2x^2+6x-216=0
2(X^2+3X-108)=0
2(X-9)(X+12)=0
X-9=0
X=9 FT. DISTANCE FROM THE WALL AND THE BASE OF THE LADDER.
9+3=12 FT. DISTANCE OF THE LADDER UP THE WALL.
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